Romance

No More Room For Me In Your Dreams

by Buttered Latte

For the first three years of our marriage, Barney Hayes and I never shared a bed.He suffered from severe sleepwalking episodes that could turn him violent. Whenever one struck, he might attack anyone nearby, even me.One night, he nearly smothered me with a pillow before finally waking up. Horrified by what he'd done, he pulled me into his arms and spoke bitterly."Alba, I can't keep hurting you like this. Can we sleep in separate rooms from now on?"I believed his condition would haunt him for the rest of his life.Then Hailey Miller came along.Her singing could somehow calm Barney during his episodes. The moment he heard her voice, his agitation faded, and he would settle down peacefully in her arms."Don't worry, Alba. I've got him."From then on, night after night, I watched her take my place beside my husband.Barney sounded full of guilt over the line."Just give me a little more time. I'll find a way to replace Hailey's singing. But until I'm cured, please don't come back to the house. I'm afraid I might lose control and hurt you again."So, I waited.On our sixth wedding anniversary, I decided to surprise him. With an ice cream cake I'd spent all day making, I slipped into the closet and waited for him to come home.Then I heard Hailey's voice."Barney, how much longer are you going to keep pretending to sleepwalk?"A soft chuckle followed."I haven't gotten tired of hearing you moan in bed yet. What's the rush?"In the darkness, I felt the whipped cream slowly melt onto my fingers.This marriage was rotten, and I was done with him.

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